The UK Guardian also reports that Google’s transparency report confirmed that outbound traffic from the East African giant was cut on Tuesday and has yet to be restored.

In June 2016, questions for a top examination were posted on social media causing a national scandal that led to the cancellation of the entire exams. The authorities subsequently blocked social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Viber.

The country has previously clamped down on internet in the wake of spreading anti-government protests in the Amhara and Oromia regions.

The government said social media was being used to instigate the mass action that led to deaths of protesters. Ethiopia filters internet regularly using firewalls which often slows network access.

Across Africa, internet blackouts are increasingly becoming popular especially for political reasons. Uganda and Congo Republic blocked access during presidential elections in 2016. The most recent one was a three-month blockage by authorities in Cameroon’s anglophone region.

A United Nations Human Rights Council resolution last year declared the restrictions of internet access as a violation of human rights.